Field
The present disclosure generally relates to nebulizers and, in particular, nebulizer dispensers that allow for adjustment of the position of the breathing piece relative to the body of the dispenser.
Description of the Related Art
Medications for certain respiratory conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are often administered as an inhaled aerosol to improve delivery of the medication to the lungs. A nebulizer, also referred to as a “nebuliser,” is a medical device which uses mechanical energy to transform a liquid medication into an aerosol. A nebulizer may use compressed air forced through a nozzle to break up the liquid medication into tiny globules or may use ultrasonic or vibrating-mesh mechanisms to mechanically generate the tiny globules of liquid medication.
Nebulizers are available in various sizes, including tabletop units that are plugged into an electrical outlet, such as shown in FIG. 1A, and hand-held nebulizers, such as shown in FIG. 2 that run on batteries or can be plugged into a car's cigarette lighter. The aerosol mist created by either type of nebulizer is delivered to the patient through either a mask, such as shown in FIG. 3, a nasal piece, such as shown in FIG. 4, or a mouthpiece that fits into the mouth, as shown in FIG. 1B. These various prior art arrangements will be discussed in greater detail below.
Conventional designs for nebulizer dispensers do not allow sufficient adjustment to enable proper placement of the breathing piece proximate to the patient's mouth, nose, or face, depending on the type of breathing piece, for varying patient positions. As a result, caregivers are forced to adjust the position of the patient so that they may use the nebulizer. This may result in wasted time and patient discomfort. Use of a nebulizer in other than the intended position and orientation may also result in sub-standard treatment due to medication lost because of a poor fit of the breathing piece to the patient or inadequate nebulizer operation due to the position of the nebulizer during treatment.